Vol. 430 No. 4
2 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his Minister of State's recent visit to Sudan; and if any assurances were given by the Government there that access would be available for humanitarian aid to reach the famine-stricken southern region.
57 Ms McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the evidence of severe famine in Southern Sudan which is now emerging and the need for urgent action to avoid an appalling disaster, the Government intends to take any steps to increase Irish aid to the area and to encourage a response from the appropriate international organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
66 Mr. Haughey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the action, if any, the Irish Government proposes to take in relation to the serious situation now developing in Southern Sudan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
67 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the action at EC or UN level which is being taken by the Irish Government in order to tackle the growing problems in Sudan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 2, 57, 66 and 67 together.
As Deputies will be aware, I visited Sudan from 22 to 25 April 1993. I had meetings in Khartoum with representatives of the Government of Sudan and of donor agencies and Governments. In the South, I visited Nimule, Ashwa and Kongor, as well as the operations base of Operation Lifeline Sudan at Lokichokio in Northern Kenya. In Nairobi I met Dr. John A. Garang and Dr. Lam Akol, representing the different factions of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army, the SPLA.
The humanitarian situation in southern Sudan is very bad. Many people have died in recent months and many more, in particular young children and mothers are at risk. The exact figures are not known. The principal cause of the crisis is the continuing conflict between the Government of Sudan and the SPLA, and between the different SPLA factions.
I raised with the Government in Khartoum and with the faction leaders the issue of access for humanitarian aid workers to reach southern Sudan and for their security. An agreement has been worked out by the UN with the Government, the factions and the relief agencies. I was given every assurance that this agreement would be faithfully implemented. I am aware, however, that the agencies continue to face problems in getting access, in particular from the north. The alternative routes, from northern Kenya and northern Uganda, are easier, but cannot, of course, service the northern part of southern Sudan. In March last an allocation of £500,000 was made from the Emergency Humanitarian Relief Fund to a number of agencies working in Sudan. As a result of my recent visit, an additional allocation of £500,000 has been made to GOAL, CONCERN and UNICEF, bringing to a total of £1 million the amount allocated to Sudan for emergency humanitarian assistance this year.
Ireland has taken up the issue of Sudan with both the European Community and the United Nations, both as regards the need to increase the humanitarian effort and as regards the need to resolve the political issues. We shall continue to urge all necessary action in order to ensure that the present appalling situation is brought to an end.
I emphasised to the Sudanese Government representatives and to the SPLA leaders whom I met that they must work for a lasting ceasefire and a long term peace effort. Only these factors will ultimately solve the problem.
I thank the Minister for his reply. I am sure he does not need to be reminded that Sudan is one of Ireland's bilateral-aid countries. Therefore, it is crucial that Ireland continues to play a front line role in bringing about peace in that country. How optimistic is the Minister that his intervention at UN level will bring about the necessary ceasefire to bring about peace in that country, given that a further 500,000 Sudanese people were displaced from their homelands in 1992?
With regard to the peace process, Nigeria is currently hosting talks between the Sudanese Government and the Garang factions of the SPLA. We continue to urge both parties to maintain their commitment to the peace talks and to agree, as a matter of urgency, to a lasting ceasefire. Unfortunately, the fighting between the different SPLA factions is largely responsible for the current displacement and suffering of the civilian population.
I had a dual mission: I first had to visit the Government in Khartoum and then talk to both factions. As I said, I met Dr. Garang and Dr. Lam Akol. To be honest, I was quite pessimistic after my meeting. I hope that Governments in other countries will do as I have done. On my return I met the Dutch development Minister who has a particular interest in this area. I have also written to the Danish President and Mr. Jonah at the UN. The international community needs to do more to resolve this problem, and not only on the humanitarian side. The head of the Lifeline operation is an Irishman, Mr. Philip O'Brien. He said that while it is too late for intervention in many cases, we should try to do as much as we can in the coming months through the provision of more planes, food and medicine. There is a need for the international community to do much more and I have already begun this process at both UN and European level.
With regard to the overall problem, the international community needs to put more political pressure on those engaged in the fighting, especially on the factions within the SPLA, to stop. If there was a straightforward process of negotiations between the north and south I would be much more hopeful of an end to fighting.
We must now proceed to other questions. Question No. 7 in the name of Deputy Shatter has been postponed. Question No. 9, please.
On a point of order, will I get a reply to my Priority Question No. 4?
The Deputy will get a written reply.
